Decided to dive into game stats
Woke up this morning thinking about yesterday’s Giants vs Falcons game. Everybody at work kept arguing over who actually controlled the match. Grabbed my laptop while drinking coffee, thinking “let’s settle this properly”. Had a messy notebook nearby where I scribbled notes during the game.
Step 1: Hunting Down Numbers Everywhere
First thing? Needed raw data. Pulled up three different sports sites because stats never match across platforms. One site said Falcons had more rushing yards, another said Giants. Annoying, but normal. Typed out all quarterback stats manually into a spreadsheet – QB pass attempts, completions, all that stuff. Took forever cross-checking defensive tackles and sacks.
- Double-checked QB throws from three sources
- Wrote down rushing gains for top five players per team
- Highlighted missed catches in red marker
The Ugly Truth About Stats
Kept mixing up wide receiver names when copying – thought Darius Slayton was playing for Atlanta for a hot minute. Fumbled my keyboard when I realized. Had to restart sorting receivers twice. Ended up making separate columns for each critical playmaker. Also created a simple pie chart showing possession time split. Pretty much glued to my screen for two hours straight squinting at numbers.
Step 2: Crunching Totals Manually
Added everything column by column on the spreadsheet. First calculated Falcons’ total yards – air plus ground. Then Giants’. Didn’t trust the autosum, so used my calculator app like a caveman. Was ready to toss my phone when numbers disagreed. Finally matched after re-entering Falcons’ third-down conversions. Whoops, forgot those completely earlier.
Finished with player stats, team totals, and drive summaries. Shut down fourteen browser tabs cluttering my desktop.
The Shocker I Almost Missed
Leaned back seeing the full stats picture. Giant’s QB got sacked FIVE TIMES – crazy pressure! Noticed Falcons’ kicker missed two critical field goals. Stared at my chart realizing time of possession meant nothing when Giants kept fumbling key plays. Everyone argued over quarterback moves, but real story? Giants’ defense absolutely owned the fourth quarter. Final numbers showed Falcons’ wide receivers dropped more catches than I thought. Stats don’t lie even if they’re frustrating to compile.
